The Republican. [volume] (Oakland, Md.) 1877-current, 1887-08-20
a Street In New York where china
men are Thick.

Town OF tne present was q very III
significant colony, and queue seen
on the streets created a sensation, at
least among the ranks of the small
boys downtown. Now there are
rully 5000 Celestials in this city.
They are doing we'll in various lines
of business. and there are a large
number of them who have bank ac-
counts running into thousands and
tens Of thousands of dollars. In fact
there are at least two Chinese mer-
chants in Mott street who each own
considerably over $1,000 in property
and money. 1t was not until 1875
that the Chinese took possession of
Mott street. AT that time the six
companies of San Francisco, which
practically controlled the Chinese
population of that city, established
an agency in this once fashionable
street. AS new arrivals from the
Flowery Kingdom appeared on the
scene they settled down in this spot,
and Chinatown waxed and grew
strong, until it became what it now
is, a veritable city within city,
having its own municipal govern
ment, and in most matters making
laws suiting itself, and growing in
strength oblivious of the political
and social amenities Of the great city
around it. The Chinese evidently
believe in close corporations. He
does not froth at the mouth when the
word monopoly is uttered in his pres
ence. On the contrary he seems to
like it. There are six men in China
town VINO practically run its ma
chinery business, political and social.
They are in this respect not dissimi-
lar to the famous six companies of
California, although they claim to be
Independent of them.
The Chinaman naturally drifts into
the laundry business. Two-thirds of
the Mongolians in New York are en-
gagged in it. The thirty headquarters
of the thirty different clans, as they
are known, supply the information
that there are just about 1000 laun-
dries in New York managed by Chi
namen. The average number of
workmen in each is three, giving a
a total Of 5000 Cinnamon who are
engaged in the commendable indus
try OF keeping New York supplied
with clean linen. Most of these laun-
dries are owned by individuals, al
though the big Mott street companies
own good many, Kwong Hing
kung made good many of his
$l25.O00 by specializing in laundries,
or in other words, in establishing
them at various parts of the city,
and either renting them or selling
them under mortgages. He is said
to hold mortgages on or to be princi.
pal owner in about 200 at the present
time. There is double profit in this
line of business, for the 600 laundry
men whom he thus practically con-
trolls must all deal in his grocery
store. Thus does Kwong prosper
and grow fat. Wo Kee, who is the
oldest and wealthiest of the Mott
street merchants, besides his large
grocery business, is big exporter of
American goods to China. He makes
particularly large shipments IN Pc
troleum.
The Chinese in New York have not
made any large success as domestics
as they did in the West. There are
a few hundred of them employed in
factories. About 400 of them are
cigarmakers; about as many more
are engaged in the smaller groceries
in and about Chinatown, of which
there are nearly one hundred. There
are upwards of a hundred tobacco
stores and about dozen drug stores
that are supported by the Mongolian
population, and more than that num-
Der of distinctiyely Chinese restau-
rants, and an unknown number of
places where the homesick Celestial
can dream of the delights of the
Flowery Kingdom and of the soft
caresses of oblique-eyed hours while
under the influence of the. seductive
poppy. Besides, Chinatown has a
floating population of about 600, made
up of gamblers, criminals and men
of leisure. 1t is due 10 the colony to
say. however, that it is not partial to
idlers.
The Chinese population of the city |
Is divided into what are known as
clans. There are thirty in all. Each |
has headquarters where meetings
are held, for social and political pur-
poses. The social part of it consists
mainly in playing fan tan and poker. |
Chinatown has fashion of mind |
ing its business and Of settling its
own affairs, that is worthy of emula-
ton. Every year it elects new ruler